In the 1960’s, ready or not, change was coming to America. A new revolutionary culture was emerging and those seeking to drastically transform the system believed radical change was not only feasible, but imminent. The Black Panther Party for Self-Defense would, for a short time, put itself at the vanguard of that change. Whether they were right or wrong, whether they were good or bad, fact is, more than 40 years after the Black Panther Party was founded in Oakland, California, the group, and its leadership, remain powerful and enduring figures in our popular imagination.

Stanley Nelson – Director

Stanley Nelson is a multiple Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker, MacArthur “genius” Fellow, and 2013 National Humanities Medalist. Nelson is co-founder of Firelight Media and its Producers Lab for emerging filmmakers.

His films include Freedom Summer, Freedom Riders, Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple, and The Murder of Emmett Till. The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution is the eighth of Nelson’s films to premiere at Sundance.